Method and apparatus for producing gang of separably interconnected elongate articles

ABSTRACT

A continuous web of material is scored to delineate a plurality of separable, interconnected elongate articles each having an aperture. The apertures are used to advance the web through apparatus which comprises scoring and severing stations.

United States Patent 91 Harp [ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUC- ING GANG OF SEPARABLY INTERCON- NEQIED ELQNQEIEABILQLES, v

[75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Union Carbide Corporation, New

York, NY.

[22] Filed: June 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 263,637

Harry J. Harp, Jenkintown, Pa.

[52] US. Cl 225/2, 83/7, 83/9, 83/1 1, 83/88, 83/423, 83/436, 93/36 A,

[51] Int. Cl B26d 3/08, B26d 9/00, B26f 3/02 [58] Field of Search 225/2, 97, 4, 96, 225/l00; 93/36 A; 83/9, 88, 37, 48, 40, 42,

[ Dec. 25, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,263,882 8/1966 Nugent et al. 225/97 X 3,348,456 10/1967 Marconet et al. 3,528,330 9/1970 Ehlert 93/36A X Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Paul A. Rose et al.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A continuous web of material is scored to delineate a plurality of separable, interconnected elongate articles each having an aperture. The apertures are used to advance the web through apparatus which comprises scoring and severing stations.

17 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB DEC 25 I975 SHEET 2 OF 2 lv METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GANG F SEPARABLY INTERCONNECTED ELONGATE ARTICLES This invention relates to elongate apertured articles and to method and apparatus for producing the same in; a: gang of predetermined number, interconnected but separable from each other.

Typical of an article with which the invention is concerned is an elongate strip of flexible thermoplastic material used to close a container such as a food storage bag for instance. These articles are generally referred to'as ties. One form of such an article has at one end an aperture, generally rectangular, the other end of the strip being of such shape and dimension as to enable it to be passed through the aperture by folding the strip. Intermediate the ends of the strip is serrated or provided with a number of arrow-head like projections also designed to pass through the aperture. In use the article is applied to the container to be closed, the end inserted through the aperture and pulled so that one of the projections of the'strip engages the edgesof the. aperture to lock the strip about the container.

Articles of this nature are finding increasing favor among consumers and are gradually displacing older types such as paper covered wire twist-ties. Manufacturers of food storage bags for instance supply them in boxes of bags. It is of course desirable that each box contain as many closure devices as bags and for this reason among others that it is desirable that the ties be provided in sheet or gang form so that individual items need not be handled or counted.

The principal objectives of this invention are the provision of a gang of separably interconnected elongate articles and method and apparatus for producing such a gang.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 isa schematic side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and FIG. 3is a plan view ofa web of material taken at the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing a stage in the manufacture of a gang of articles in-accordance with the invention. In the following discussion and in the claims the various forms of the word score as used are inclusive of cutting through the thickness of material.

The invention comprises a gang of separably interconnected generally flat, elongate articles suitably of flexile, thermoplastic material, each article having at least one aperture and each article being delineated by scores impressed in a web of material of which the articles are composed. Although the arrangement of the articles in the web is not limited except by convenience, a preferred arrangement-is for the articles to be arranged transverse of the sheet, this usually minimizing waste. The following description will be directed primarily to the preferred arrangement.

As arranged in-the web the longitudinal edge of each article is complementary of each of its neighbors. Thus, one series of scores in the transverse arrangement across the width of the web defines edges oftwo articles and the apertures ofthe articles are situated on opposite marginal edges of the web. The scores defining the edges of the elongate articles are interrupted or discontinuous at at least one location across the web, and preferably at several, to provide a continuous connection of material along the length of the web so that the articles remain connected until it is desired to separate them.

The invention comprises apparatus for producing the gang of articles embodying the invention in a continuous operation commencing with a supply roll of material and ending. with the delivery in shingled stacks of separated gangs of articles. Generally, the apparatus comprises a support for a supply of web material, av scoring station where the outlines of the articles are impressed in the web, a material knock-out station where material is removed from the web to provide the desired apertures in the articles, and severing station where portions of the web containing a predetermined number of connected articles are separated and delivered in shingled arrangement to a conveyor for delivery to packaging stations. A common drive is provided to advance the web from the supply through the scoring station and the material knock-out station. A separate drive is provided for the severing station. A

The method of the invention comprises the steps of providing a supply of web material, preferably in a roll, advancing the web to a scoring station, scoring the web without severing it to delineate in the web the longitudinal edges and apertured areas in a succession of elongate articles. Material is removed from the web in the areas where apertures have been delineated, and the web is advanced to a severing station by pulling force applied to the web through the apertures which have been provided. At the severing station, the portions of the web containing a predetermined number of outlined articles are continuously severed from the web. The severed portions are stacked in shingled array for delivery to a packaging station.

A feature of the transverse arrangement of the articles in the web according to the invention is that the articles are outlined in the web so that there is no waste of material. The transverse dimension of the web is a whole number multiple of the length of each article. Usually this multiple is one, but it may be two or more. If the multiple is more than one, the web is slit prior to the severing station. In the transverse arrangement the outer marginal edges of the web usually are the sites of the apertures and this provides both a registration guide and a conveying aid for the web. Thus, in the web each longitudinal edge of each article arranged transverse of the web is complementary of an edge of its neighbor on either side so that no material is lost. The material removed at the knock-out station to provide the apertures is the only possible waste. If, as is preferred, the web is made of thermoplastic material, these portions may be captured and recycled.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 1 is shown schematically a supply roll 10 for a web 12. Adjacent to the supply roll 10 is a scoring station comprising an articulated continuous belt 14 of die boards 16 which passes over a plurality of rolls 18, 20,22 and between pressure rolls 24, 26 arranged above and below a platen 28 over which the web 12 and die boards 16 pass. An opening 30 in the platen 28 is provided so that the upper roll 24 makes contact with the belt 14 and the lower roll 26 makes contact with the web 12 so that the pressure applied by the rolls 24, 26 impresses the dies (not shown) carried by the die boards 16 into the web 12. A machine of this type which is well suited to the invention as a scoring station is described in US. Pat. No. 3,192,856 issued July 6, 1965.

Somewhat removed from the scoring station is a tensioning roll 32 over which the web 12 is trained. Adjacent to the roll 32 is a material knock-out station comprising a toothed roll 34 having arranged about its edges a plurality of teeth 36 like sprockets. The roll 34 is arranged between a pair of rolls 38, 40, each having grooves 42 arranged to accommodate the teeth 36 of the toothed roll 34 (See FIG. 2). The web 12 is trained over the toothed roll 34 and is engaged by mating faces 44, 46 of the upper roll 38 and the toothed roll 34 respectively and by the teeth 36. Above the roll 38 is a bar 39 having teeth 41 adjacent to the grooves 42 of the roll 38 and tracked in them to remove any material from the web which might be forced into the grooves. Both the upper roll 38 and the toothed roll 34 are driven by gears 48, 50 from a drive belt or chain 52 driven in common with the drive for the scoring station by a motor M shown in dash lines in FIG. 1.

Downstream (to the left in FIG. 1) of the material knock-out station a knife blade 54 is mounted to contact the lower side of the web 12 in advance ofa series of rolls 56, 58, 60 over which the web 12 is trained, the middle roll (a dancer roll) 58 being elevated and adjustably mounted to provide tension in the web 12. This arrangement of the dancer roll 58 makes possible regulation of the speed of the web 12 between stations. A second knife blade 62 is mounted to contact the lower side of the web 12 just in advance of a severing station.

The severing station comprises a guide roll 64 over which the web 12 is trained and by which it is guided into engagement with a toothed or sprocketed roll 66 provided withsprockets 68. Mounted above the sprocketed roll 66 is a severing roll 70 provided with a plurality of knives 72 arranged around its periphery and adapted to enter grooves not shown in the sprocketed roll 66. The sprocketed roll 66 is driven by a motor M Adjacent to the sprocketed roll 66 and downstream of it is a pair of accelerator rolls 74, 76 also driven by the motor M A guide roll 78 is secured by a wire yoke 80 to the shaft on which the upper accelerator'roll 74 is mounted. A conveyor 82 is provided adjacent to the delivery end of the severing station.

In operation of the apparatus just described, a roll of web material 12 is placed on the support and passed over the platen 28. The web 12' is scored by dies on the die boards 16 under pressure of the rolls 24, 26. After passing over the tensioning roll 32 of the web 12 is trained over the toothed roll 34 the teeth 36 of which knock out material from the areas outlined for apertures. The teeth 36 exert some pulling force on the web 12. The knife blade 54 over which the web 12 then passes removes remaining bits of web material not removed by the roll 34. The speed of travel of the web 12 is regulated by passage over the dancer roll 58 and the web, after passing over a second knife blade 62 is guided into engagement with the sprocketed roll 66. As the web 12 passes over this roll, being pulled by it, the knives 72 of the severing roll 70, engage it at predetermined intervals to sever it. The severed portions are now engaged by the accelerator rolls 74, 76 which speed up their travel and assist in their complete removal from the web. The guide roll 78 and its yoke 80 then guide the severed portions onto the conveyor 82 in shingled arrangement for packaging.

From the foregoing discussion it will be apparent that the method and apparatus of the invention are useful for the production of a wide variety of articles in gangs from a wide variety of material. For instance instead of ties for containers, sticks for frozen or other confections can be manufactured by the method and apparatusof the invention. Other types of articles for which they are suited include hair curlers, bundle wrapping straps or tapes, identification tags and similar flat, apertured devices.

Although as indicated, flexile thermoplastic material is an excellent material for use in the invention, paper or foil may be used if desired. Of the thermoplastic materials perhaps the most all around utility is offered by polyethylene. In a particular example ties of the configuration shown generally in FIG. 3 have been manufactured at great speed and efficiency by the process and apparatus of the invention of polyethylene 30 mils thick. Other thermoplastic materials that can be used include polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and styrene. The only limitation is that the selected material must be able to be cut by a die. In some cases, cutting may be aided by heating the web.

Although in the description of the apparatus a particular type of scoring machine is referred to, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the use of any particular type of scoring or die-cutting apparatus. A rotary drum containing a plurality of dies about its perimeter is an example of an alternate type of apparatus suitable for use at the scoring station.

I claim:

1. The method of producing a gang of elongate apertured articles separably connected along their longitudinal edges, which method comprises:

providing a web of material;

advancing said web to a scoring station;

scoring said web to outline in said web the longitudinal edges and apertures of each of said articles without removing said articles and apertures from said web;

then removing material from each of said outlined apertures in each of said articles in said web to produce in each the desired aperture;

applying a pulling force to said web through apertures so formed;

advancing said web to a severing station;

and severing said web into a plurality of portions each containing an interconnected gang of said articles of predetermined number.

2. The method defined by claim 1 in which the outlined edge of each of said article defines a complementary edge of the next adjoining article in said web.

3. The method defined by claim 2 in which each of said articles is provided with a single aperture.

4. The method defined by claim 3 in which said apertureis located in an end portion of said article.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 in which each said article is arranged transverse of said web.

6. The method as defined by claim 5 in which each article is situated in reverse relationship with each of its neighbors, thus providing a succession of apertures in opposite marginal areas of said web.

7. The method defined by claim 5 in which the width of said web is equal to a whole number multiple of the length of such article.

8. The method defined by claim 5 in which said whole number is one.

9. The method defined by claim 7 in which said whole number is two.

10. The method defined by claim 9 in which said web is split longitudinally prior to severing it transversely into portions.

11. The method defined by claim 1 in which in said scoring step said outline is interrupted in at least one location at each longitudinal edge of each outlined article to provide continuous connection of each outlined article throughoutthe length of said web.

12. The method defined by claim 1 in which said web is a flexile, thermoplastic material.

13. Apparatus for continuously producing a plurality of gangs of separably interconnected elongate articles from a continuous web of material, which apparatus comprises a support for a supply of said web material;

a scoring station having a plurality of dies and a platen for scoring in said web the outline of said elongate article and of an aperture therein; 7

means for advancing said web to said die-scoring station between said dies and said platen;

a material knock-out station removed from said scoring station for removing material from said web in areas scored for said apertures;

means for advancing said web to said knock-out station;

a web-severing station removed from said material knock-out station;

and means including a sprocketed roll for engagement with apertures produced at said knock-out station to advance said web to said web severing station.

14. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 in which said material knock-out station comprises a pair of rolls through which said web passes, one of which rolls is sprocketed and the other of which is grooved to receive the sprockets of the other.

15. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 in which said means for advancing said web to said scoring station and said means for advancing said web to said material knock-out station are commonly driven.

16. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 in which said web severing station comprises a roll having at least one knife transverse thereof.

17. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 including a conveyor for receiving shingled quantities of severed web portions and for delivering the same to a packaging station. 

1. The method of producing a gang of elongate apertured articles separably connected along their longitudinal edges, which method comprises: providing a web of material; advancing said web to a scoring station; scoring said web to outline in said web the longitudinal edges and apertures of each of said articles without removing said articles and apertures from said web; then removing material from each of said outlined apertures in each of said articles in said web to produce in each the desired aperture; applying a pulling force to said web through apertures so formed; advancing said web to a severing station; and severing said web into a plurality of portions each containing an interconnected gang of said articles of predetermined number.
 2. The method defined by claim 1 in which the outlined edge of each of said article defines a complementary edge of the next adjoining article in said web.
 3. The method defined by claim 2 in which each of said articles is provided with a single aperture.
 4. The method defined by claim 3 in which said aperture is located in an end portion of said article.
 5. The method as defined by claim 1 in which each said article is arranged transverse of said web.
 6. The method as defined by claim 5 in which each article is situated in reverse relationship with each of its neighbors, thus providing a succession of apertures in opposite marginal areas of said web.
 7. The method defined by claim 5 in which the width of said web is equal to a whole number multiple of the length of such article.
 8. The method defined by claim 5 in which said whole number is one.
 9. The method defined by claim 7 in which said whole number is two.
 10. The method defined by claim 9 in which said web is split longitudinally prior to severing it transversely into portions.
 11. The method defined by claim 1 in which in said scoring step said outline is interrupted in at least one location at each longitudinal edge of each outlined article to provide continuous connection of each outlined article throughout the length of said web.
 12. The method defined by claim 1 in which said web is a flexile, thermoplastic material.
 13. Apparatus for continuously producing a plurality of gangs of separably interconnected elongate articles from a continuous web of material, which apparatus comprises a support for a supply of said web material; a scoring station having a plurality of dies and a platen for scoring in said web the outline of said elongate article and of an aperture therein; means for advancing said web to said die-scoring station between said dies and said platen; a material knock-out station removed from said scoring station for removing material from said web in areas scored for said apertures; means for advancing said web to said knock-out station; a web-severing station removed from said material knock-out station; and means including a sprocketed roll for engagement with apertures produced at said knock-out station to advance said web to said web severing station.
 14. Apparatus as defined by cLaim 13 in which said material knock-out station comprises a pair of rolls through which said web passes, one of which rolls is sprocketed and the other of which is grooved to receive the sprockets of the other.
 15. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 in which said means for advancing said web to said scoring station and said means for advancing said web to said material knock-out station are commonly driven.
 16. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 in which said web severing station comprises a roll having at least one knife transverse thereof.
 17. Apparatus as defined by claim 13 including a conveyor for receiving shingled quantities of severed web portions and for delivering the same to a packaging station. 